I was at an AKC show for the last four days. There were over 500 dogs entered. I went through the conformation building every day... and I can honestly say that I didn't see ONE SINGLE dog that was not fat. Not one.

The best of breed AmStaff was a porker. Small than Connor and 70 pounds. Not a rib to be seen, and no muscle definition at all... it was all hidden under a smooth layer of fat.

Of course, it's harder to tell with the longer coated breeds, but there were plenty there that didn't have a whisper of a taper. I can't imagine you could feel a rib under there. Even the little Wippets (maybe Italian Greyhounds?) were chubby. I didn't think they could actually get chubby... but I think I maybe saw one rib on a few of them. The Chihauhaus looked like little sausages.

I was sad and somewhat disgusted.

I described Riggs to the BOB winner and he actually laughed and told me not to bother showing him.

I decided that the next OB trial I go to, I'm going to enter Riggs in conformation just for laughs. The $25 will be worth it for the pictures of him next to all the portly boys.

Michelle

Inside me is a thin woman trying to get out. I usually shut the bitch up with a martini.

I know how you feel...I don't even watch the televised shows anymore for the same reason. I know how screwed up MY breeds look, so I'm betting the other dogs are just as poor representations of their respective breeds. Its wierd to look at the bulky low rider chubbo Labs too, in comparison to my aunt's boy Jake who is more of a field Lab looking boy...it's just bizarre...extremism applies to all breeds, I guess.

I know how you feel...I don't even watch the televised shows anymore for the same reason. I know how screwed up MY breeds look, so I'm betting the other dogs are just as poor representations of their respective breeds. Its wierd to look at the bulky low rider chubbo Labs too, in comparison to my aunt's boy Jake who is more of a field Lab looking boy...it's just bizarre...extremism applies to all breeds, I guess.

Oh my goodness. I am trying to find shows for my boss's BT... and she looks nothing like that. she is lean and musclular. So are they really wanting this fat ol' rolly poley dogs? Thats so unhealthy!!!

Tina
Our thoughts and prayers are with Mick and Christine! We love you both!

RIP my precious Noah! You are greatly missed and still so loved!!! 7-12-06-- 2-21-07
RIP Abby! I always loved you!

I was at a APBT show, it was a fun show but we had pro-judges from new York come down. I am not sure what they were used to judging. But my dog placed 2nd in the show because he was a bit overweight and couldnt see the correct bodylines they wanted to see. He said otherwise I would have taken the blue home. So I think there are some that like the 'thinner' type dogs. But now they are breeding for muscle mass on the pit bulls and even starting a 'new breed' called American Bullies. I guess those are going to be the super thick pit bulls. Ones that cant do much of anything. with all that muscle mass they will tire quickly and not be able to work like they are supposed to.

Tina
Our thoughts and prayers are with Mick and Christine! We love you both!

RIP my precious Noah! You are greatly missed and still so loved!!! 7-12-06-- 2-21-07
RIP Abby! I always loved you!

On November 25 2006, mnp13 wrote:I haven't seen a "skinny" ANYTHING in an AKC ring. Not in person or on any of he televised shows. UKC isn't much better either.

ADBA is getting the same way, what a shame

WOW! That's %#$@!

I think every breed changes slowly,wich is bad....
Smallers getting bigger etc....
I asked a boxer breeder that why is the standard different here,then in Germany where the boxers originally comming from?
You know what she said? The standard is the same,only because people in the USA like elegant dogs....so they changed the look of them....but the standard IS SAME????!!!!!

Ellie----------------------------------------"Winners aren't born...they're made.And they're made just like anything else...through hard work.That's the price we'll have to pay to achive that goal."

There are good judges who recognize what the dogs should look like, but there aren't very many being shown that way it seems.

Looks at Lora's Dogs hartagold. They are very in shape dogs and CH so it depends on who welll the judge knows the breed when he/she sees and in shape dog in the ring.

This goes for UKC as well IMO

I've also unfortunately seen dogs with crappy temperaments pull out wins which I think is even worse.

I watched a dog actually go after the judge and then take a major I could've PUKED

On another note Dog's with natural ears in both UKC and AKC are also in the minorty, even though the breed standard says natural ears preferred

I say if you have a good dog but them in and see what happens.
Win or lose the experience is always a good thing IMO

Patch O' Pits Pursuit-O-Perfection

Run Hard at the Rainbow Bridge My Angel Sock-M! I Love You Baby Girl! Now that your Mom Starlit is up there too, please help her learn the ropes, love and keep her company until I can see you both again. Starlit I love you!http://i14.tinypic.com/2a8q345.jpg

I have noticed people around her asking if my dogs are APBT because they are short and lean not to mention very muscular. Alot of the ones have seen around here are very leggy. Diesel is short wide in the chest has a nice head but in the body very lean and muscular he is fixing to be 8 months old on Jan15 but I don't see him getting any taller and people are forever asking me what he is. My neighbor has an Am Staff and before I got into bulldogs I thought he was awesome. Now that I have my own he has a little bitty head and he is very over weight.

I can't stand going to confirmation shows because of this...I hate to see the labs and goldens puffing and rolling their way around the ring.

I too could never understand how they can make the sighthounds fat...

I can't stand fat dogs...but in the ring? Just disgraceful. The only dog I'll allow to be fat is my parent's little hound mix. They have to keep her slightly tubby, or she can escape out of their fence. We figured it was worth being slightly chubbers rather than being hit by a car.

"I don't have any idea if my dogs respect me or not, but they're greedy and I have their stuff." -- Patty Ruzzo

"Dogs don't want to control people. They want to control their own lives." --John Bradshaw

I agree unless there is a medical issue there is just no reason for a dog to be fat.

What also irritates me with the APBT is the short and wide trend in which you often see short limbs and signs of dogs having issues such as chrondoplasia and also the ones that are huge like mastiffs and look nothing like the breed standard.

Patch O' Pits Pursuit-O-Perfection

Run Hard at the Rainbow Bridge My Angel Sock-M! I Love You Baby Girl! Now that your Mom Starlit is up there too, please help her learn the ropes, love and keep her company until I can see you both again. Starlit I love you!http://i14.tinypic.com/2a8q345.jpg

I think AKC likes their dogs to look like sausages on legs, with no shape. Look at the AmStaff. They arent that muscular looking. I mean its there its just covered a bit. Now if you go to ADBA shows the dogs are beautiful, some a a bit too skinny but for the most part they look great! I took someone who has pitbulls to a ADBA show locally and she was shocked by how skinny the dogs were and its just because people these days are so used to seeing a fat dog they dont know when it is too much.

Tina
Our thoughts and prayers are with Mick and Christine! We love you both!

RIP my precious Noah! You are greatly missed and still so loved!!! 7-12-06-- 2-21-07
RIP Abby! I always loved you!